The third quarter, traditionally a peak season for the smartphone supply chain, has brought a mixed picture for display panel pricing. While overall production remains at high utilization levels, market dynamics and pricing trends vary significantly across panel technologies.
Samsung Electronics is enjoying its strongest run in the US smartphone market in years, but that momentum could be tested as US President Donald Trump threatens sweeping tariffs on semiconductors and devices that use them.
Chinese handset maker Shenzhen Transsion Holdings Co., known as the "king of phones in Africa," is facing a fresh legal challenge from Huawei, highlighting growing intellectual property risks as it expands into emerging markets where Xiaomi and other rivals are gaining ground.
Below are the top DIGITIMES Asia stories from August 11 to 17, 2025. Leading the headlines: Apple is preparing to launch a US$599 MacBook, with mass production of key components expected by the end of 2025. China's leading DRAM manufacturer has begun domestic production of HBM3 chips, with samples already sent to Huawei for final validation. Meanwhile, a reported leak of TSMC's 2nm technology involving employees from TSMC and Tokyo Electron (TEL) sparked espionage concerns but appears less severe after further investigation.
The US government is expected to announce its tariff policy this week on semiconductor-related products—including smartphones, laptops, and surveillance devices—sending ripples of uncertainty through the global tech industry. A proposed 25% tariff on smartphones is now formally under consideration, placing the strategies of Samsung Electronics and Apple under intense scrutiny.
Cybersecurity service provider CHT Security held its pre-IPO briefing on August 13, announcing plans for an official listing in the third quarter of 2025 and becoming Taiwan's first cybersecurity services company to go public.
Samsung Electronics' upcoming Galaxy Tab S11 series is reportedly set to feature a MediaTek Dimensity 9400 application processor (AP), a notable shift from its previous reliance on Qualcomm's Snapdragon platform. Analysts say the move is part of Samsung's broader strategy to reduce component costs and improve bargaining power when sourcing APs.
On July 31, 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to adjust reciprocal tariff rates, setting the provisional tariff for Taiwan at 20%, effective from August 7, 2025. According to senior government officials in Taiwan, relief measures have been initiated, and affected businesses are urged to apply within the stipulated timeframe. For traditional industries, China faces tariffs exceeding 50% on related goods, which provides Taiwan with a competitive opportunity to gain market recognition.
Over the past five years, Huawei's drive to localize smartphone components has shifted from a crisis response into a calculated, strategic effort to build a self-reliant supply chain. With the Kirin 9030 set to debut in the Mate 80, the series is widely seen as a near-fully domestic flagship, a culmination of Huawei's transformation from relying on stopgaps to reshaping its position in the industry.
Huawei will launch its 2025 flagship Mate 80 series in October, moving up its schedule to land near Apple's iPhone 17 debut in early September, according to supply chain sources. The timing reflects a calculated move to reinforce its dominance in China's premium smartphone segment and seize momentum in the critical autumn upgrade cycle.
Following South Korea's shocking announcement to invest US$350 billion in the US, with 90% of the profits staying in the US, Nvidia and AMD reportedly have agreed to pay 15% of their chip sales revenue from China to the US government. This equally astonishing arrangement secures export licenses from the US government for Nvidia's H20 and AMD's MI308 chips shipping to China.
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